Feature of the Year award

I was absolutely delighted recently to win the National Association of News Agency (NAPA) award for Feature of the Year 2018.

NAPA award report

As many people know, Featureworld was the agency which broke the Charlie Gard story last year and I wrote many of the personal articles for his parents, Connie Yates and Chris Gard.

The couple first approached me late in 2016 about their baby boy’s plight – and in 2017 I placed the story in the Daily Mail. It appeared over two consecutive front pages and went on to make headlines throughout the world.

During this time I wrote a variety of features for the couple including a four page piece, which also made the front page of the Daily Mail, following baby Charlie’s death.

Jon Harris, Chairman of NAPA told Freddie Mayhew at Press Gazette: ‘The Charlie Gard story in particular was one of the most talked about news events of 2017 and I am very proud to see it was brought to the attention of the world by a NAPA agency.’

I would say that taking on the Charlie Gard story was a massive undertaking and for a number of months it took over my life.

NAPA Award

However, I am mostly happy that I got the publicity for the Gard family that they wanted.

Chris, Connie and I went through an amazing and unforgettable journey together. Getting the balance between achieving what the press wants and what an interviewee wants remains the biggest challenge in this job (which is why I write features myself as that way I know interviewees will be happy with them!)

Author: Alison Smith-Squire

Alison Smith-Squire is a media agent selling stories to newspapers, magazines and TV for the ordinary person. She runs website Featureworld.co.uk and online writers' ezine, sellyourstoryuk.com
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